One Lump or Two?

So today is tax day, and tea-bag day. If nothing else, some tight-assed Republicans have learned a new sexual technique. Or at least that it exists.

People are so upset about their taxes that they plan to meet in town squares around the country and make a pile of tea bags. Well, for one thing, they'll be some stimulus for the grocery stores. I'd bet that the majority of these people, even if they can name their government representatives - national, state, local, etc, would not be able to tell you how these representatives have voted on various tax issues. The complaint is that taxes are too high, not necessarily that spending is too much or spent on the wrong things. They still want good schools, good roads, a healthy economy, good jobs, a safe neighborhood, safety from foreign invaders, etc. They just think we could get that stuff cheaper.

They are complaining that the various stimulus payments and bailouts are too high, but they're not paying for them. These are simply added to the debt.

But it gives these people a chance to put on funny clothes and get on TV. It beats telling their stories to Jerry Springer. And I'm sure there will be as many fights as Springer has. Ah, American democracy at its finest! We'll know we've accomplished our mission in Iraq when they have tea bag protests.

I made the mistake of watching Morning Joe again this morning. There was a Reuters news item that Janet Napolitano has concerns about right wing groups, their rantings and the effects they may have on people, mostly returning veterans that they might react by terrorism. Issues such as immigration, taxes, the first black President, etc.

Joe was incensed. You could tell it really affected him, cause he couldn't think straight. This was evidenced by the leaps he took every time he went back to the item. He went on about what would have happened if a Republican administration had issued warnings about left wing groups. Next time he talked about it, he used the example of Dick Cheney telling Tom Ridge to watch out for and monitor left wing groups. Now you can truly imagine Cheney doing that, and I wouldn't be surprised if he did. But there was nothing in the Reuters story that indicated that anyone had told the Homeland Security head to do this. But Joe lays out his analogy, implying that he had. Further along, he rants about Obama monitoring veterans, which again is not in the Reuters story, but the synapses in Joe's mind work differently.

There wasn't a lot of information in the story, but I understand the concerns. I saw someone the other night from some 2nd Amendment group who was explaining why guns sales are up. One of the reasons was fear of the government, including, I kid you not, proposed changes in health care. Can't you just see it! "Momma, grab another box of Double Ought, they's a comin' to alter my deductibles!"

There are the mental health problems we've been experiencing with the veterans returning from combat. There's the vigilante groups patrolling the border. Irate tea-baggers. They're letting gays marry in Iowa and Vermont. Rush Limbaugh feels he has more and more power.

And if you don't think something terrible could possibly arise out of these things, I give you two words.

Timothy McVeigh.